Welcome to my health file.
My name is John Parsons, a doctor of chiropractic and my aim is to promote chiropractic and the healthcare secrets of natural products and foods,
to warn of the dangers of certain unnatural products and procedures,
and to make available the most time-tested natural products in the world, wherever possible free.

Monday, 26 November 2007

Did you know that a recent study funded by the National Institutes of Healthfound the popular prescription sleep aids will get you an average ofonly 11 minutes extra sleep. So Americans are shelling out $4.5 billion each year for little more than ten minutesof extra sleep.

what works for me:

lie in bed and think/remember everything that happened in the day in reverse order - after a few minutes i am asleep! zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz (so boring!) zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

My own husband had multiple witnessed episodes of Transient Global Amnesia while taking Lipitor at only 10 mg/day.

Further, the Lipitor left him with profound short-term-memory loss. He started on Lipitor at 50 working as a corporate CEO. By the end of 4 years on Lipitor, at the lowest dose, his short term memory was measured at below the 1 percentile. He literally could not remember to the end of a sentence over 5 words. Keep in mind that "What do you want for dinner?" is a six word sentence - an beyond his ability to process, thanks to the Lipitor damage. He also developed aphasia, the inability to recall words, which prevented effective communication.

In addition he was left with Lipitor-caused mitochondrial damage, muscle pain, muscle wasting, chronic fatigue, peripheral neuropathy, and chronic insomnia.

A full DECADE after starting the Lipitor, he remains disabled, unable to function in his former capacity, or any other.

Extensive testing has eliminated all other possible causes - it was the Lipitor that destroyed his quality of life".

The Following are Excerpts taken from Transdermal Magnesium Therapy Bookby Mark Sirus, O.M.D.

What is exciting about this form of magnesium is that it is easily absorbed into the body through the skin and is delivered directly to the cellular level, thereby completely bypassing the body's natural rejection of magnesium as is so often experienced with oral supplementation. There are no reactions of nausea or diarrhea, and yet, the magnesium levels in the body can be significantly increased in this manner.

Some of the conditions magnesium may be useful in treating or preventing are:

Aging Aggressive Behavior

Alcoholism Alzheimer's Disease

Arrhythmia Asthma

Attention Deficit Disorder Autism

Brain Damage Cancer

Cerebral Palsy Cerebrovascular

Chemical Sensitivity Chronic Fatigue

Cluster Headaches Constipation

Cramps Diabetes

Fibromyalgia Fluoride Toxicity

Head Injuries, Central Nervous System Injuries

HIV, AIDS Heart Disease. Heart Attack,

Atherosclerosis, Cardiovascular Disease,

Hypertension Kidney Stones

Lou Gehrigs Disease (ALS) Migraine Headache

Menopause Symptom Multiple Sclerosis

Mitral Valve Prolapse Peripheral vascular disease

Osteoporosis Premenstrual Syndrome, PMS

Psychiatric Disorders Repetitive Strain Injury

Rheumatoid Arthritis Sickle Cell Diseas

SIDS Sports-related problems

Stroke Stress

Stuttering Tetanus TMJ

Stress begets stress. The lower your magnesium level, the lower your threshold for new stress - thus, you become increasingly more sensitive - more adrenalin, greater magnesium loss, greater sensitivity, etc. Soon the intracellular magnesium level is no longer 10 times that of serum and the cells are in a chronic state of hyperexcitability. anxiety, irritability, anger, depression and mood swings arejust the tip of the iceberg of magnesium deficient symptoms.THESE ARE JUST SYMPTOMS!

There is a power and a force in magnesium that cannot be equaled anywhere else in the world of medicine. There is no substitute for magnesium in human physiology; nothing comes even close to it in terms of its effect on overall cell physiology. Without sufficient magnesium, the body accumulates toxins and acid residues, degenerates rapidly, and ages prematurely. It goes against a gale wind of medical Science to ignore magnesium chloride used transdermally in the treatment of any chronic or acute disorder, especially cancer. (magnesium chloride is from Sea Salt )

Magnesium repletion produced rapiddisappearance of the periosteal tumors.

Aleksandrowicz et al in Poland conclude that inadequacy of Mg and antioxidants are important risk factors in predisposing to leukemias. Other researchers found that 46% of the patients admitted to an ICU in a tertiary cancer center presented hypomagnesemia.

Try to imagine the complete inability to formulate new memory. This condition is known as transient global amnesia, now known to be associated with statin drug use. My first encounter occurred six weeks after my annual astronaut physical at Johnson Space Center. Despite regular exercise, weight maintenance and proper diet my total serum cholesterol had risen to 250 mg and the recommendation of the flight surgeons there was to start Lipitor, 10 mg daily. My wife noticed me walking aimlessly about the yard after my return from my usual walk. I did not know who she was and would not enter our house. Our family doctor referred me immediately to a neurologist and finally, in the office of the neurologist, my senses returned to normal. Following a negative MRI the following day, the diagnosis of transient global amnesia was made. I discontinued Lipitor because I suspected it was the cause.

At my next NASA physical I was assured that statin drugs do not do this. Reluctantly I started again with 5 mg, daily, one-half my previous dose. Six weeks later I descended again into the black pit of amnesia, this time for an extraordinary 12 hours. In addition to the mainly antegrade amnesia which characterized my first attack, this time I had a retrograde element all the way back to my high school days. Gone was my medical school training, USAF flight surgeon career, my marriage and four children and even my selection as scientist astronaut. Again the same doctors made the same diagnosis, transient global amnesia. Again I stopped Lipitor on my own knowing it was the cause but I was the only one convinced.

Several months later I got in contact with the statin drug study at UCSD's College of Medicine. There, Dr. Beatrice Golomb reported she had several cases just like mine. A few days later, thanks to the Graedons of the radio program Peoples Pharmacy, thousands of case reports of memory dysfunction started flooding in from patients across the country, all with the same common thread - association with statin drug use. And the amnesia is just the tip of the iceberg of the true incidence of memory impairment associated with Lipitor, Mevacor and Zocor. For every case of amnesia, thousands of cases of extreme forgetfullness, incapacitating confusion and profound disorientation have been and are being reported. Neither patients nor doctors are aware of this side effect.ng lipids. The role of inflammation and stress

2. Elevated serum cholesterol and/or other lipids are not the cause of coronary heart disease.

3. Statins can have significant side effects that have been overlooked or deliberately suppressed. In addition to rhabdomyolysis and liver dysfunction, these include: muscle pain, weakness and fatigue and biopsy evidence of myopathy and tendinopathy in the absence of elevated CK, memory loss, global amnesia, difficulty in sleeping and concentration, erectile dysfunction, problems with temperature regulation, difficulty in managing diabetes, and peripheral neuropathy.

4. All statins have been shown to be carcinogenic in experimental animals in dosages that approximate those given to patients. Although the lag time between exposure to a carcinogen and clinical detection is often a decade or more, a disturbing increase in breast cancer has already been reported in the CARE trial as well as certain skin malignancies in the simvastatin trials. Statins could initiate and/or accelerate malignant growth by a) blocking the production of Coenzyme Q10, which has been shown to have anti-cancer effects; b) stimulating the growth of new blood vessels that malignancies require to promote their propagation; c) decreasing the cytotoxicity of natural killer cells; d) blocking the production of squalene, an intermediate cholesterol metabolite with anti-cancer activities in animal studies and currently used as adjunctive therapy in treating cancer; e) reducing the production of DHEA, which has been shown to have anticancer and immune stimulating effects in experimental studies.

5. Cardioprotective effects are seen regardless of baseline cholesterol or LDL levels or the degree to which they are reduced and are achieved far too rapidly to be due to lowering LDL. If statins worked by lowering LDL one would expect to see dose-response relationship, which has not been demonstrated in any statin trials. Cardioprotective effects are seen in the elderly where LDL or other lipids are not a risk factor for coronary heart disease and in the HPS study statin treatment also prevented ischemic stroke although high LDL is not a risk factor for stroke.

6. There is abundant evidence that reducing inflammation, thrombotic factors and endothelialdamage may explain the statin effects. For example, in the CARE, the outcome was related to the degree of inflammation but independent of any lipid response.

7. Most coronary events are not due to progressive blockage of a vessel by gradual accumulation of lipid material but to thrombosis and disruption of an asymptomatic fibrous plaque with minimal protrusion. Human atherosclerotic plaque bears little resemblance to experimental atherosclerosis in animals force-fed high-fat and high cholesterol diets, but has all the hallmarks of an inflammatory response to infection and there is considerable evidence to support such an etiology, particularly for chlamydia pneumoniae. Homocysteine, angiotensin II and a host of inflammatory agents have also been implicated.

8. Therefore, the current therapy goals of lowering LDL to arbitrary levels are not only inappropriate but also dangerous, since this will only lead to larger doses and more side effects.

Tuesday, 20 November 2007

My burning desire is to help people to be well by giving them the tools and responsibility to succeed. I fervently believe that ‘Only Nature Heals' and my job is to assist practically in promoting health.

Monday, 19 November 2007

More from Al Sears MD:'cholesterol-lowering drugs are bad for your health. Yet according toanother new study, doctors still just arent getting it. Even worse, manydoctors continue to dismiss the warning signs when their patientscomplain of dangerous side effects. Theyre just notlistening. Researchers at theUniversity of San Diego recently surveyed 650 patients takingcholesterol-lowering drugs like Lipitor, Zocor, and Mevacor. The pointof the study was to find out how their doctors responded when theyreported having bad reactions.1 The results weredisturbing, to say the least. Forty-seven percent ofparticipants suffering from muscle or brain-related problems reportedthat their doctors brushed their complaints aside. Fifty-onepercent of patients with nerve pain said the same thing. Overall,thirty-two percent of patients with a variety of complaints reportedthat their doctors immediately ruled out the possibility that theycould be related to statin drugs. And, the San Diegoresearchers concluded that the pharmaceutical companies who make thesedrugs were getting the word out about their dangers(probably because of fear of legal repercussions). The doctors simplyweren't listening. And in the majority of cases, it wasthe patient, not the doctor, who initiatedthe discussion about possible side effects. For my part,I'm going to continue doing what I've been doing for manyyears - warning anyone who will listen to avoid statin drugs. Not onlydo they fail to address the real cause of heart disease(which isn't high cholesterol, by the way) they hurtinstead of helping and can actually be fatal. The list of statindrugs side effects is long and frightening. Here are just afew:

With risks likethese, you have to wonder why so many doctors remain in the dark.Statins remain blockbuster drugs - 12 million Americans arecurrently taking them. One reason may bethat the mainstream medical community continues to focus oncholesterol as the chief culprit behind heart disease. There'sno doubt statins lower LDL cholesterol, The problem is,cholesterol isn't the problem. It may surprise you to learn that75 percent of heart attack victims have perfectly normal cholesterollevels. The fact islowering your LDL cholesterol doesn't protect you from heartdisease. You want to raise your HDL, the good kind. Aslong as your HDL is high - around 85 -; there'sno reason to worry about your LDL levels. You can boost HDLlevels naturally and safely. One clinically proven way is to get morelean meat in your diet But if you'reon statin drugs and decide you want to stay on them, make sure yourdoctor is responsive to your questions and listens to your reportingof potential side effects. Take the lead in conversations aboutpossible side effects and dangers. And if he or she islike the doctors in the study and just doesn't listening to you,find a new doctor. To Your Good Health,

* Halle Berry follows a nutrtition and fitness routine known as 5-Factor Fitness.

Celebreties such as Reese Witherspoon, Julianne Moore, and Meg Ryan follow the teachings of Hollywood’s most sought after fitness expert: Michael George. In fact, Michael has helped sculpt some of the best bodies in Hollywood.

However, his programs are certainly not for the weak of heart. To get an actress ready for the big screen, he perscribes a strict diet, five days of weight training per week and six days of cardio.

Like many of today’s nutritional experts, he promotes eating five small meals per day versus two or three large meals. By eating every three hours, the metabolism is put into overdrive, helping the body to burn fat at an optimal level.

Other fitness celebrities swear by the power of Pilates. Rebecca Romijin is one of them. In fact, she’s been doing Pilates for the past seven or eight years. She also works the treadmill and the elliptical machine for about 40 minutes each.

Julia Roberts shed much of her extra weight after pregnancy with regular Pilates workouts. Other celebrities using this incredible workout routine include Madonna, Sharon Stone, Jennifer Anniston and many more.

One of the most popular celebrity fitness trainers is Kathy Kaehler, who has trained the likes of Julia Roberts, Jennifer Aniston, Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer, Ellen Degeneres, and others.

To get Julia Roberts ready for her role in America’s Sweethearts, Kathy designed a program centered around strength training, Yoga, and Pilates.

Kathy Kaehler also helped Drew Barrymore get in peak shape for her rolein Charlie’s Angels.

Although exercise is certainly an important part of staying in peak shape. You will never reach your fitness goals without proper nutrition. While starring in the popular TV show “Friends”, Jennifer Anniston chose the Zone Diet to look her best on screen.

The Zone diet was created by Dr. Barry Sears and promotes eating a ratio of 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein, and 30% fat. He advises you choose low-starch fruits and vegetables as your carbs and lean protein sources as well as healthy fats. Pork and red meat are certainly not on this menu.

So, do these whole foods and healthy portions work? I’d say so, and I think Jennifer would agree, along with other celebrities who have used this diet, including Renee Zellweger and Cindy Crawford.

However, keep in mind that not every body is the same. Some have a lower tolerance of carbohydrates and may have to limit their carbs more thanothers. The key is finding out what works for you and forming good habits that last a lifetime.

see Celebrities work hard to stay in peak shape for the camera. Many have their own personal trainers while others are following a strict diet with plenty of exercise.

* Halle Berry follows a nutrtition and fitness routine known as 5-Factor Fitness.

Celebreties such as Reese Witherspoon, Julianne Moore, and Meg Ryan follow the teachings of Hollywood’s most sought after fitness expert: Michael George. In fact, Michael has helped sculpt some of the best bodies in Hollywood.

However, his programs are certainly not for the weak of heart. To get an actress ready for the big screen, he perscribes a strict diet, five days of weight training per week and six days of cardio.

Like many of today’s nutritional experts, he promotes eating five small meals per day versus two or three large meals. By eating every three hours, the metabolism is put into overdrive, helping the body to burn fat at an optimal level.

Other fitness celebrities swear by the power of Pilates. Rebecca Romijin is one of them. In fact, she’s been doing Pilates for the past seven or eight years. She also works the treadmill and the elliptical machine for about 40 minutes each.

Julia Roberts shed much of her extra weight after pregnancy with regular Pilates workouts. Other celebrities using this incredible workout routine include Madonna, Sharon Stone, Jennifer Anniston and many more.

One of the most popular celebrity fitness trainers is Kathy Kaehler, who has trained the likes of Julia Roberts, Jennifer Aniston, Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer, Ellen Degeneres, and others.

To get Julia Roberts ready for her role in America’s Sweethearts, Kathy designed a program centered around strength training, Yoga, and Pilates.

Kathy Kaehler also helped Drew Barrymore get in peak shape for her rolein Charlie’s Angels.

Although exercise is certainly an important part of staying in peak shape. You will never reach your fitness goals without proper nutrition. While starring in the popular TV show “Friends”, Jennifer Anniston chose the Zone Diet to look her best on screen.

The Zone diet was created by Dr. Barry Sears and promotes eating a ratio of 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein, and 30% fat. He advises you choose low-starch fruits and vegetables as your carbs and lean protein sources as well as healthy fats. Pork and red meat are certainly not on this menu.

So, do these whole foods and healthy portions work? I’d say so, and I think Jennifer would agree, along with other celebrities who have used this diet, including Renee Zellweger and Cindy Crawford.

However, keep in mind that not every body is the same. Some have a lower tolerance of carbohydrates and may have to limit their carbs more thanothers. The key is finding out what works for you and forming good habits that last a lifetime.

1. Jennifer AnistonThe star of the phenomenal television show Friends not only mesmerized audiences with her adorable comic sense and her famous hairstyle, she was also known for having one of the sexiest bodies in Hollywood, as she appeared in countless magazine covers. To stay trim, Jennifer follows the 40:30:30 diet method. The diet consists of:

It is essential that every meal should contain macronutrients to attain the balance of hormones and maximum weight loss.

2. Kate HudsonThe daughter of actress Goldie Hawn gained 60 pounds during her pregnancy, which she needed to shed quickly before commencing on her next film. From her previous eating plan, she switched to a higher protein diet. She consumed high protein meals in smaller portions, and she combined this diet with an exercise program that includes weight training and cardiovascular workouts. After getting a lot of flak because of her post-pregnancy figure, Kate removed all that baby weight in only four months and has gained abdominal muscles that gained the envy of many in Hollywood.

3. Oprah WinfreyAs one of the most successful talk-show hosts in the world, there is no question that Oprah needs to maintain her physical appearance for her millions of audiences. Known as one of those celebrities who are constantly battling weight gain, she has recently toned up her figure and has never looked figure in age 50 by combining a regular exercise regime and diet plan. Oprah works out five days a week, spending 30 minutes on the threadmill and doing free weights. Her eating plan consists of legumes, fish, nuts, fruits and vegetables, chicken and dairy products that are lowfat. She limits her consumption of white sugar and flour. Oprah also credits her trim figure to her habit of not eating anything after seven in the evening.

4. Gwyneth PaltrowA lot of people may find it hard to believe that the perpetually slim Academy award-winning actress actually needs to diet. Gwyneth actually follows a healthy eating plan that resembles Oprah’s, avoiding sugar and white flour. She usually follows a macrobiotic diet, eating foods like vegetables, brown rice, and lean meat. She also eliminated dairy from her diet, and does yoga everyday.

5. MadonnaThe pop star known as the Material Girl has always flaunted a body that is to die for, and has become a true fitness paragon over the years. She keeps herself in tip-top shape by having Ashtanga Yoga, and follows a strict diet that mostly shuns junk foods. She adopted a macrobiotic eating plan that includes organic foods rich in lean protein.

6. Claudia SchifferThe German supermodel eats salad and steamed vegetables for dinner and eats only fruits before the afternoon. While on locations, she prefers to eat black grapes and drinks tomato juice and herbal tea.

7. Christie BrinkleyLong-time supermodel maintains her good looks by being a vegetarian. She does not keep junk foods of any kind inside her home to make sure that she does not eat them when cravings occur. She snacks on sweet potatoes in place of candy bars, and she adopts a liquid juice diet when she needs to slim down fast.

8.Paris HiltonParis Hilton doesn't seem to follow the normal Hollywood trend of eating low calorie food, training with weights or cardio workouts for fat loss. No, Paris is really on her own program when it comes to diet and exercise. Paris says, "I eat at McDonald's or Taco Bell." What does Paris Hilton drink? "I hate the taste of alcohol," Paris says. "When I'm drinking, I'm drinking Red Bull."

The Australian authors of Helping Your Baby To Sleep (Finch Publishing), Anni Gethin and Beth Macgregor, argue that controlled crying is detrimental to children and can have serious long-term effects.

Gethin, a health social scientist, and Macgregor, a psychologist, draw heavily on attachment theory showing the importance of secure parent-child bonding.

The authors say that when infants are left to cry for long periods, they become more and more despairing until they reach a state of "learned helplessness". They stop trusting their parents, the precious bond is broken and the child is at risk of developing emotional and social problems, including depression, later in life.

"Depriving a baby of parental care and contact at bedtime does not teach a baby independence," the authors say. "Instead he learns that his parents cannot be relied upon to provide comfort and reassurance and so gives up calling for help."

The book also refers to recent research that shows an infant's brain is flooded with toxic hormones following stressful situations, and that repeated trauma can damage neural pathways.

The book is bound to cause debate, especially as controlled crying is recommended by many early childhood nurses and well-known parenting authors.

From The TimesNovember 15, 2007All hail the mystic PresidentSlovenia’s President is a recluse. Told he had cancer, Janez Drnovsek moved alone to the woods and embraced his inner spirituality. His Government despises him but he is a hero to his people

Martin Fletcher

It is not often that you ask a European head of state whether he has gone loopy, but in the case of Janez Drnovsek, Slovenia’s reclusive President, the question seems almost unavoidable.

Bald, monkish and skeletally thin, Drnovsek has abandoned his capital for a mountain retreat. He no longer speaks to his Government. He boycotts state occasions, and disappears for weeks at a time. He has turned vegan, talks like a New Age mystic of his quest for “higher consciousness” and “inner balance”, and communicates with the Slovenian people through books on spirituality. He set out to tackle the problems of the world from a country smaller than Wales, and has become a champion of progressive causes.

It is an astonishing transformation for a man who, as Slovenia’s Prime Minister from 1992 until he was elected President in 2002, was regarded as a dull, grey technocrat. It was triggered by the prospect of imminent death. In 1999 he found that he had kidney cancer and, in 2001, that the cancer had spread to his liver and lungs. His doctors said his condition was incurable.

Any serious illness comes as a shock, but “the shock can be beneficial because one is caught in patterns of behaviour and somehow you do them mechanically and without really thinking about them. You do like others do,” Drnovsek explained in the course of a two-hour interview with The Times– the first he has given in months. “When you are confronted with the perception of the end of your life, it’s an opportunity to look at things from a different point of view, to change priorities and establish a distance to this daily existence and all these material developments that you are taught are so important,” he said as he sipped black tea in his office.

He accepted that some people thought that he had gone crazy, but was not perturbed. They do not understand, he said in soft, heavily accented English. “Why should I worry what people of this level of consciousness should say or think about me? This is so irrelevant.” He used a Chinese philosopher’s tale to illustrate his point: “The frog in its well was convinced that this well was the whole world. And then came a turtle from the sea. The turtle told this frog that there was a big ocean and the well was nothing. The frog said: ‘OK. This turtle is crazy’.”

In fact, most Slovenians have grown very fond of their singular President. Despite – or perhaps because of – his eccentricities he will complete his term of office next month as one of the most popular figures in his country.

Drnovsek is an erstwhile banker who won his nation’s respect – if not its affection – by helping to negotiate its peaceful secession from the former Yugoslavia in 1991, and then steering it from communism to democracy and membership of the European Union and Nato. As late as 2000 – one year after he had a cancerous kidney removed – The Economistdescribed him as a “singularly uncharismatic . . . poker-faced trimmer” whose preoccupations were growth and stability. It quoted him saying, glumly: “People demanded vision. I hate vision. The cemetery of history is full of visionaries.”

Drnovsek says that his conversion from conventional politician into “Slovenia’s Gandhi” – as one commentator has dubbed him – was gradual, and he adopted a low profile as he fought his illness. He abandoned conventional medicine because his doctors told him that they could not cure him. He dabbled with Indian and Chinese healers. He gave up meat, dairy products and alcohol in favour of organic vegetables and home-baked bread. He fasted for days at a time. He also sought to nourish his soul, leaving Ljubljana for a remote home set in beautiful beech forests south of the Slovenian capital. He lives there alone, reading and writing, without so much as a television for company since his dog died. He says modern man has lost contact with nature, but it is “very beneficial for health, for body but also for soul . . . Somehow we can purify ourselves of all negativities that are concentrated in towns and urban centres where there is all this activity and stress.”

The new Drnovsek began to reappear on the public stage in late 2005, but more in the guise of national guru than president. He cut his staff. He quit his centre-left political party and launched the Movement for Justice and Development that was open to “all people who wish to change the world for the better”. He became a champion of the environment, animal rights and the oppressed, and afierce critic of a political class that is, he says, concerned only about power and image. “If only we had a candidate like Drnovsek, or even a shadow of him, the world would quickly become less intolerable,” gushed Brigitte Bardot in the midst of the French presidential election.

Drnovsek travelled around the country. He was photographed wearing a crown of leaves. He published books entitled Thoughts on Life and Awareness and The Essence of the World that are found in the spirituality – not politics – sections of Slovenia’s bookshops. He wrote a monthly advice column in a popular women’s magazine, and a blog in the name of “Janez D”, whose subjects ranged from diatribes against pesticides to apocalyptic warnings about climate change – he says that humanity has perhaps 20 years left to save itself.

Drnovsek also began to intervene in international affairs in a way that infuriated Slovenia’s new conservative Government. He upset nearby Serbia by supporting independence for Kosovo. He visited Jerusalem, where he urged the Israelis to talk to the newly elected militants of Hamas, and Sri Lanka, where he tried to meet Tamil Tiger leaders. In China he defied the authorities by visiting Tibet. He went to India for a conference on spirituality, and to Bolivia for Evo Morales’s inauguration as that country’s first indigenous president “after 500 years of colonialism and neo-colonialism”.

His most ambitious undertaking, however, was a one-man drive to resolve the Darfur conflict that ended with the detention of his envoy and the nonappearance of Sudanese and rebel leaders at a Ljubljana peace conference. It was an embarrassing episode, and he admits that he was probably naive, but says that he felt morally obliged to try to stop the suffering. While international diplomats were living in luxury hotels, earning fat salaries and indulging in endless talks, people were dying, he says. “I thought somebody had to do something to wake up everybody.”

By the summer of 2006 Drnovsek had exhausted his official budget, and the Government seized the chance to ground him by refusing further funds for his “exotic activities”. He was forced to cancel a state visit to Spain and an appearance at the UN in New York, and grew ever more scathing in his denunciations of the Government.

Drnovsek has described Janez Jansa, the Prime Minister, as the “Prince of Darkness”. He disagrees with nearly all of what the Government does, and accuses it of moving towards a “kind of totalitarian system” by curbing the independence of the media. He stops only marginally short of saying that it was unfit to assume the EU’s rotating six-month presidency on January 1. “I will say nothing. I’m still President of this country,” he replied when pressed.

Drnovsek has now abandoned his conflict-resolution efforts. He tried his best, but was dismissed as “this crazy Slovenian President”, he says. “I came to the conclusion that the only way to change the world is to change the consciousness of as many individual people as possible, and then the pressure on politicians will increase to act differently.”

He has once again become an absentee President. He spurns official receptions. He boycotted Slovenia’s National Day celebrations in June. “ At a certain level of spirituality . . . it becomes more difficult to do these things of this material life,” he says. “You feel the ephemerality of everything, and if you know your activity will have no real effect, you become more selective about what you do and what not. I still have activities, but practically I stopped all unnecessary political activities – those involved with other politicians.”

He vanished entirely from June until mid-September, and failed to greet Romano Prodi, the Prime Minister of Italy, when he visited Slovenia in August. Drnovsek said that he spent some of that time visiting monasteries in France, tapping into the “positive energy” that monks had built up through centuries of prayer.

Drnovsek has infuriated the Government, but his people have warmed to his evident humanity. His books are bestsellers, and while a few of the Slovenes I approached in Ljubljana’s central market said that they found his conduct embarrassing, many more expressed support and affection for their unusual President.

“He’s a good and wise man,” said Katja Berlinc, a 21-year-old theology student. “He’s great. He’s not afraid to speak his mind. He’s not afraid of anything,” said Asim Begtasevic, who runs a flower stall. “He stands for basic moral values,” said Sasho Adamich, a young TV assistant. When a former lover revealed that Drnovsek had a 19-year-old daughter, it only boosted his popularity.

All this infuriates his critics inside and outside the Government. “Nobody dares to question Drnovsek’s conduct or his travels because of his illness, and because he was some sort of hero of the transition to democracy,” says Janez Markes, the editor of the newspaper Delo.

Drnovsek’s colourful and controversial presidency is drawing to an end. He is not seeking reelection, and the charming old streets beneath Ljubljana’s castle are awash with posters of the more conventional politicians fighting to replace him. He is not planning any great farewell when he steps down. He is not concerned about his legacy or image. He accepts that a certain amount of ridicule is the price to be paid for stepping outside the political system, and he certainly will not mind the anonymity. “I don’t have worries. I don’t have fears. I don’t have wishes. I’m very calm.”

Drnovsek also has one incontrovertible riposte to those who say he went loopy. Against all odds, and in defiance of every medical prediction, he has not died in office. Indeed, he now claims to be cancer-free: “I am completely healed. I am cured of everything. I can’t prove it beyond being alive. I don’t need confirmation from a doctor. I just know.”

Saturday, 17 November 2007

Acupressure is the application of pressure to the body to affect the flow of energy (Ki) in the 12 meridians according to the principles of Oriental medicine. It is widely practised in China where more emphasis is given to a person’s responsibility for their own health than it is in the West, and is often used as a self-help treatment.

Mother of acupunctureAcupressure is believed to be the ‘mother of Acupuncture’ in that it predates the use of needles to stimulate the body’s energy flow. It has the same principles as Acupuncture, but the pressure is applied directly to the Acupoints of the body mainly by using the hands, fingers, thumb or knuckles and sometimes by using a smooth, blunt object.

MeridiansStimulation of the body’s meridian system by touch is perhaps one of the oldest healing systems, and many other therapies use Acupressure techniques including Parsons Acupressure Technique, Shen Tao, Jin Shen, Do Jin Shen, Qigong, Shiatsu and Tuina.

Thursday, 15 November 2007

On November 21, 2004 CBS correspondent, Lesley Stahl reported on 60 Minutes that a strange little plant, Hoodia Gordonii,"... is a natural substance that literally takes your appetite away. "According to CBS, "Scientists say that it fools the brain by making you think you're full, even if you've eaten just a morsel."

Now, word of this amazing plant is spreading like wildfire across the country and taking the consumer market by storm. Many are calling the discovery of Hoodia Gordonii the breakthrough of the decade.IF ONLY YOU WEREN'T SO DARNED HUNGRY ALL THE TIME...

It's true that you eat for a lot of different reasons, but feeling hungry can drive you to distraction. You know you should stick to your diet (what ever the current one is), and you know when you're eating more than you need. But, what can you do about always feeling hungry? It's just not fair.

If you aren't hungry all the time, you won't be tempted to snack between meals, and you'll easily say "No," to second helpings. You'll find it easy to push away from the table feeling completely satisfied.WHAT IS HOODIA GORDONII?

If you missed the 60 Minutes program, the program described Hoodia as a small, succulent plant that grows only in the remote region of the South African Kalahari Desert. There, the indigenous San Bushmen have eaten the plan for centuries, to stave off hunger during their long and arduous hunting trips.

This small plant looks like a dill pickle with spines on it. It grows slowly in its harsh environment, and takes four or five years, or more, before it is ready to harvest.

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in South Africa, joined forces with the South African San Council. They agreed to work together on the usage of indigenous plants for the benefit of both parties. They also committed themselves to the conservation of natural resources.

Because of tremendous worldwide demand for the Hoodia plant, it has become endangered by over-harvesting. Now, certification is required to prove that the product is authentic Hoodia Gordonii.

Real Hoodia Gordonii only grows in the semi-arid desert of South Africa – not in China, or Mexico, or the United States. With Hoodia Gordonii Plus you can be assured of getting the real, organic Hoodia ingredient

Sunday, 11 November 2007

Nearly 11 million of us have a hypo-active thyroid, and Hypothyroidism is linked to obesity and high cholesterol..According to the Mayo Clinic "women, especially those older than 50, are more likely to have hypothyroidism than men are. Hypothyroidism seldom causes symptoms in the early stages, but over time, untreated hypothyroidism can cause a number of health problems, such as obesity, joint pain, infertility and heart disease".

Television talk show host and actress Oprah Winfrey said a thyroid condition slowed her metabolism and caused her to gain nine kilos.

"My body was turning on me," Winfrey, 53, says in the October issue of O, the Oprah Magazine. "First hyperthyroidism, which sped up my metabolism and left me unable to sleep for days. Most people lose weight. I didn't."

Winfrey says she then experienced hypothyroidism, which slowed her metabolism and made her constantly sleepy.

An exhausted and stressed Oprah Winfrey discovered the condition after finishing taping of her shows in May. She took a month-long break in Hawaii to regain her health.

Hypothyroidism, also called under-active thyroid, is a condition in which the thyroid gland doesn't produce enough thyroid hormone to regulate the needs of the body. Even though it’s linked to many of our modern day ills, many of us are unaware that our thyroid may be the culprit. Hypothyroidism is often misdiagnosed by doctors, because the symptoms are so diverse and vary with each person. Sometimes doctors attribute your symptoms to other causes.

Think back to those years when you felt fabulous! You had energy to burn, passion for living, and a feeling of vitality that carried you through the day and night. You were feeling great.Did your “get up and go” just get up and leave?

Are you one of those 11 million people thinking, “I guess I’m just getting old,” and wishing it weren’t true? Do you feel blue and depressed? Is your skin is dry? Do you have brittle hair? You don’t understand why you’re gaining weight, and your hands and feet are always cold.According to the Mayo Clinic, these are all symptoms of hypothyroidism. I have teamed up with Ultraherbal, a leading herbal supplement company, that has developed 'Thyromine' - an all-natural thyroid supplement that works with your body’s own systems to help the thyroid produce the right amount of hormone for every day needs. Thyromine also contains a source of iodine from nori seaweed - available here:

Saturday, 10 November 2007

long article, but worth a read - especially if you suspect you have a thyroid problem:

http://www.newswithviews.com/Howenstine/james37.htm

IODINE IS VITAL FOR GOOD HEALTH

By Dr. James Howenstine, MD.November 5, 2005NewsWithViews.com

Lack of iodine is widespread in the United States today. For many years iodine was added to bread in generous quantities which prevented iodine deficiency. Each slice of bread contained 150 mcg. of iodine filling the whole days RDA of iodine In 1960 the average diet consumed about 1 mg. of iodine daily with bakery products accounting for about 75 % of the total. This quantity of iodine was enough to decrease the thyroid glands ability to absorb radioactive iodine and it was also sufficient to prevent excess release of thyroid hormone thus preventing many cases of hyperthyroidism (Grave’s Disease).

Forty years ago the food industry decided to remove iodine from baked goods and replace the iodine with bromine. Iodine and bromine appear similar to the thyroid gland and bromine easily binds to the thyroid gland’s receptors for iodine. Bromine, however, is of no value to the thyroid gland unlike iodine and it inhibits the activity of iodine in the thyroid gland. Bromine also can cause impaired thinking and memory, drowsiness, dizziness and irritability. This substitution of bromine for iodine has resulted in nearly universal deficiency of iodine in the American populace. Iodine therapy helps the body eliminate fluoride, bromine, lead, cadmium, arsenic, aluminum and mercury. Could this substitution of bromine for iodine have been carried out to increase diseases and thus create more need for pharmaceutical drugs?

Among the problems caused by iodine deficiency are:

• Underactivity of the thyroid gland produces fatigue. In rodents iodine deficiency leads to abnormal pituitary-adrenal function. The adrenal gland provides energy and stamina.• When iodine no longer binds to thyroid cell membranes enzymes called peroxidases are able to damage these membranes and produce autoimmune diseases such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and Hyperthroidism (Graves Disease). Researcher Dr. Guy Abraham has observed several cases of thyroiditis and hyperthyroidism that have been corrected by the simple replacement of iodine. For more than 100 years high doses of iodine have been known to benefit both underactivity (hypothyroidism) of the thyroid gland and overactivity of the thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism). Iodine therapy allows the sluggish thyroid gland to resume normal production of thyroid hormone leading to resolution of hypothyroidism. Provision of iodine stops the peroxidase injury to the thyroid membranes in hyperthyroidism which permits hyperthyroidism to resolve. Thus thyroid surgery for hyperthyroidism is no longer necessary.• Several human organs need iodine but can not absorb it until blood iodine levels reach high values (stomach, salivary glands). Most persons exhibit impaired production of stomach acid as they age. This impaired capability to produce adequate stomach acid may be a result of iodine deficiency as iodine promotes stomach acidity.• Resolution of cysts Iodine therapy resolves nearly every case of breast cysts. This treatment also can heal ovarian cysts and works well on skin cysts when rubbed over the cyst.• Iodine is found in large quantities in the brain and the ciliary body of the eye. Lack of iodine may be involved in production of Parkinson’s disease and glaucoma.• Lipoprotein (a) This dangerous substance is quite important as it produces plaques in arteries because it is very sticky and collects platelets, calcium and fibrin from the blood circulating inside our arteries. Excessive clotting and vascular disease resulting from high levels of lipoprotein (a) can be reversed by iodine treatment.• Other Health Problems Iodine has proven value in treating headaches, keloids, and parotid duct stones.

How Can Iodine Deficiency Be Detected?

An accurate test for diagnosing iodine deficiency exists. Dr. Jay Abrahams has developed a loading test to settle this issue. The patient takes 4 iodine tablets (12.5 mg each). If there is sufficient iodine in the individual the excess iodine is excreted in the urine in the next 24 hours. If iodine is lacking the body retains most of the iodine with little iodine appearing in the urine. Use of this test has shown that nearly every patient with any condition known to be associated with iodine deficiency tested positive for iodine lack. Therefore, it often is sensible to assume iodine lack and proceed to treat with iodine.

However, when a patient takes iodine for several months and has shown no improvement this test can be used to exclude a problem with absorption of iodine.

Iodine lack is known to be a factor in the development of breast and prostate cancer. Sixty patients with a variety of cancers were studied. All sixty patients were found to have serious iodine deficiency.

To correct iodine deficiency by taking iodized salt is not feasible. You would need 20 teaspoons of iodized salt daily to get adequate quantities of iodine.

Dr. Abrahams has developed an iodine preparation named Iodoral to treat iodine deficiency. This is composed of dried Lugol’s solution containing 12.5 mg of iodine per tablet. A person with adequate iodine stores who takes 4 of these tablets (50 mg.) will excrete 90 % of the iodine in their urine.Dr. Abrahams thinks that the correct quantity of iodine needed to maintain sufficient amounts of iodine in the body is 13 mg. daily. This is 100 times more than the government recognized RDA for iodine. This quantity of daily iodine would be distributed as follows –six mg. to thyroid gland, five mg. for the breasts in females and two mg. for the remainder of the body. Males appear to usually, but not always, need slightly less than females.

Prominent thyroid researcher, Dr. Benjamin Eskin, has shown that the thyroid gland and skin prefer to concentrate the iodide form of iodine while the breasts concentrate iodine. His research suggested that the body needs both the iodide and iodine form of iodine. This is easy to accomplish with Lugol’s solution developed by French physician Dr. Jean Lugol in the 1820s. His solution mixed iodine (5 %) with potassium iodide (10 %) and 85 % water. Dr. Lugol’s solution killed germs and was used with success in treating infections and many other conditions. This solution in the recommended 2 drop dosage contains 5 mg. of iodine and 7.5 mg. of iodine which is exactly the quantity of iodine recommended for daily intake by Dr. Abraham. Lugol’s solution tastes metallic unless greatly diluted and stains clothing and skin.

A third solution that works well in correcting iodine deficiency is Triodide made by Scientific Botanicals of Seattle, Washington. This has the same dosage of iodine and iodide combined with a sea vegetable called bladderwrack. This can be obtained from natural food stores, Tahoma Clinic Dispensary and compounding pharmacies. This contains 12.5 mg of iodine in the same 2 drop dosage.

Dr. Abrahams recommends taking 50 mg of Iodoral (four 12.5 mg. tablets), Lugol’s solution (8 drops)or Triodide (8 drops) daily for 3 months as a loading dose. Then this dose should be gradually reduced to the 12.5 mg. maintenance dosage under the supervision of a knowledgeable health care professional. Dr.Abraham feels that 14 to 15 mg. of iodine/iodide daily is the upper maximum of safety. This is close to the recommended dose of 12.5 mg daily so caution is necessary in managing iodine repletion. Japanese researchers have discovered patients with hypothyroidism who were taking 20 mg. of iodine or more daily.

Another valuable iodine preparation is saturated solution of potassium iodide. This does not have the correct ratio of iodine iodide recommended by Dr.Abrahams for correcting iodine deficiency but it does have a multitude of valuable healing properties. It can help open up blocked arteries, disinfect water, cure bladder infections, reduce or eliminate ovarian cysts, diminish unsightly keloids, loosen thick bronchial secretions, reduce or eliminate Peyronie’s Disease and Dupuytron’s contracture.

Endocrine Cancers And Iodine Stores

Iodine deficiency is a recognized risk factor in the development of cancer of the breast, prostate, and probably the ovary and endometrium. Breast Cancer is twice as common (12.1 %) in women taking natural thyroid hormone or synthetic thyroid hormone as in women not taking thyroid hormones (6.2 %). The risk for breast cancer in women taking thyroid hormones increases with time. Women who had taken thyroid hormone for 15 years had a 19.5 % incidence of breast cancer while women who had been on thyroid hormone therapy for five years had only a 10 % incidence of breast cancer. This increase in breast cancer with time suggests that correction of a iodine deficiency might well eliminate the need for thyroid hormone and would also lower the incidence of breast cancer.

Japanese women, who are eating lots of seaweed, have the highest iodine intake (13.8 mg. daily) of women anywhere in the world. They also have the lowest incidence of breast cancer in the world. Japan has one of the lowest worldwide rates of every type of cancer with the exception of stomach cancer. In addition Japan has one of the lowest incidences of iodine deficiency, goiter (enlarged thyroid gland), and hypothyroidism. Iceland, another high iodine intake country, has low rates of goiter and breast cancer. Two countries with low iodine intakes (Thailand, Mexico) have high rates of breast cancer and goiter.

Patient Studies.With Iodine Therapy

A patient of Dr. Rowen named Betty had severely painful breast cysts. She took 5 mg. of iodine daily with complete disappearance of painful breast cysts.Veronica, another patient of Dr. Rowen, had advanced breast cancer with severe hip pain from a bone metastasis. Iodine loading test showed severe deficiency of iodine. After three months of Iodoral she still has not restored her iodine levels but her excretion of bromine has increased 10 fold. Her cancer therapy with IPT and artemisin has been stable with only an occasional IPT and she continues with 25 mg. of Iodoral three times daily. Dr. Abrahams relates that he has seen two remissions of breast cancer in persons taking 75 mg of Iodorol daily. Iodine deficiency plays a role in allowing breast cancer and prostate cancer to develop.

Another physician has seen a case of prostate cancer go into remission after taking Iodoral and supplements.

George Flechas MD relates that many of his diabetic patients need lowering of insulin dosage and diabetic drugs after repletion of iodine deficiency. Dr. Rowen has observed the same thing.

Food Sources Of Iodine

Iodine from fish must be limited because of mercury problems. However, sardines have such a short life span they do not get contaminated with mercury. My suggestion would be to buy tins of sardines packed in tomato sauce so you can avoid the transfats used in oil packed sardines.Brown and red seaweeds contain the most iodine (kombu, focus, etc.).of sea vegetables. You may still need supplemental iodine to get an adequate quantity for repletion of iodine deficiency. unless you are eating lots of seaweeds.

Dr. James A. Howenstine is a board certified specialist in internal medicine who spent 34 years caring for office and hospital patients. After 4 years of personal study he became convinced that natural products are safer, more effective, and less expensive than pharmaceutical drugs. This research led to the publication of his book A Physicians Guide To Natural Health Products That Work. Information about these products and his book can be obtained from amazon.com and athttp://www.naturalhealthteam.com

I personally gained benefits from this just in one day ( may not be necessary to do it for 7 days)

from http://www.lifeevents.org/salt-water-cleanse.htm :

"Saltwater cleansing practice purifies the digestive system and draws impurities out of organs inside the body. Salt-water cleanses may be used to treat common colds, high blood pressure (it's important to have salt from a natural source that has not been processed), digestive ailments, fever and degenerative related ailments.

Before starting a new healing program, taking a new herb/vitamin, fasting or changing diet, you need to rid your body of built-up toxins and schlock. Getting rid of the old stuff, will make way for the new program to take effect. How else will you know that a healing program is working if you are just putting new things on top of the old?

NOTE: persons with very advanced forms of ulcer, appendicitis, intestinal tuberculosis, or cancer are recommended not to practice this technique.

Prior to CleanseIf you have problems with constipation, please clean your bowls with a safe herbal laxative (i.e. senna or garcinia) for one or two days before this cleanse.

During the CleanseAvoid alcohol, spicy foods, fried foods and anything rich or heavy during this week of cleansing. You will take your digestive tract back to its childhood state. Feel what would be best to feed a small child and you will know what to eat.Salt-Water Flush Recipe

NOTE FROM JOHN PARSONS - THE USUAL RECOMMENDATION IS 2 TEASPOONS OF SEA SALT DISSOLVED IN 1 QUART OF FILTERED WATER (1 QUART IS ABOUT 1 LITRE).THIS IS ADEQUATE.

Your Daily Program for Saltwater Cleaning

The organs of the body have open channels in the early morning hours between 5AM and 7AM. This is the best time to drink salt water and a common time in most spiritual practices to perform a morning ritual.

Face the four directions: North, South, East and West.

* East for Water * West for Earth * South for Fire, and * North for Air

Ask for blessings, purity, strength and anything you might need. Drink the hot salt water facing the four directions until finished.

When you drink in each direction, feel how the associated element effects your life. Example: Water - "Thank you water. Biological life comes from water, thank you. Humans come from water, thank you. I came from the water of my mother's womb, thank you. I relax in the surf at the beach, thank you. I drink this yummy salt water to heal my body, thank you..."

If you find yourself with a full stomach, even after the first glass, the following exercises will help. The idea is to get the water out of your stomach and into your intestines.

* Exercise 1 - Rub your stomach with the palm of right your hand clockwise 21 times and counter clockwise 13 times. * Exercise 2 - Raise your arms over your head (still standing) and sway them left to right. * Exercise 3 - Spread your feet shoulder width apart and spin your body at the waist from left to right. Let your arms swing with your body. Feel the stretch in your lower back and abdomen. * Exercise 4 - With knees and feet together, bend your knees and squat. Reach with your left hand and touch the tip of your index finger to the outside of your right foot. Now try to do both together with your head facing somewhat forward. You should find your left elbow touch the outside of your right knee when you're in the full squat position. This exercise is of course a little (sic) difficult. If too difficult try something else. * Exercise 5 - Doing the Hatha Yoga Cobra Position is also good as are other exercises that get the intestines stimulated.

Results from the Saltwater FlushWhat to Benefits to Expect from your Intestinal Cleanse

As with any cleansing program, reactions vary from people to people. You may take more than one hour to drink this much saltwater. After a little practice, most people can drink the water in 30 to 45 minutes. Some people throw up the first glass; keep trying and you'll be glad you did.

You should expect to make trips to the toilet throughout the morning. Some people finish cleaning their bowels in a couple of hours. It may take a little longer during the first few days.

One thing that is very common, is to have LOTS of additional energy and a great appetite. This too may take a couple of days.

Plan to take it easy on the first few days, especially if you have never done any kind of cleansing before (headaches commonly occur during detoxification.) Very soon you will be amazed at the effects on your energy, mood and emotions. Physical cleaning is often connected to a deeper more psychological and spiritual cleaning.

You will be taking your digestive track back to its childhood state and this can be serious work. Eat light (no fried, heavy, spicy food) during the cleanse and do not drink alcohol. Consider what you your feed a 5 to 6 year old child (not McDonald's). When you stop cleansing, watch what you eat and bring your body back to your normal diet slowly.

After the first 7 days, you may choose to continue. During the second week, drink every second day, the third week, drink every third day, the forth week, drink every fourth... until you drink salt water one time in one week for the rest of your life. Or... whenever you feel you need a cleansing.

People over 25 years of age can drink salt water once per week as a laxative and to keep the immune system up to par.

For more information about the Yogic Practice of Shank Prakshalana (Internal Purification) see this short presentation on the net.

Here is a short exert of the information below:

Salt Water Flush Benefits:

* The effects won't appear immediately, but after 2-3 days, manifesting as freshness of the breath, better sleep, disappearance of rushes and pimples, a general state of lightness in the body, improved digestion. * The sweat becomes odorless. * The skin and especially the complexion bright, the glance becomes radiant and magnetic. Increases the strength of the immune system. * Regulates the metabolism, bringing balance in the body - therefore people who are overweight might harmoniously lose some weight and people who are too skinny might gain a few kilograms.

Salt Water Cleaning Provides relief for these ailments:

* Chronic headaches * Diseases of the eye, nose, teeth, heart, abdomen, and rectum * Appendicitis * Damaged intestines * Inflammation of the digestive tract * Intestinal worms * Menstrual irregularities * Diseases connected to the organs of reproduction * All the 25 kinds of urethral infection and affections known in the Ayurvedic medicine."ps. also see the post about coconut oil if you are serious about detox and weight loss.yours in healthJohn

I have spent a great deal of time researching herbal product companies and have finally settled on this one - I like the range and quality of their natural products for weight loss, mens and womens health problems, skin problems, etc. see link :

Thursday, 8 November 2007

"Water: Rx for a Healthier Pain-Free Life".Vital Functions of Salt in the Body

1. Salt is most effective in stabilizing irregular heartbeats and, Contrary to the misconception that it causes high blood pressure, it is actually essential for the regulation of blood pressure - in conjunction with water. Naturally the proportions are critical.

2. Salt is vital to the extraction of excess acidity from the cells in the body, particularly the brain cells.

3. Salt is vital for balancing the sugar levels in the blood; a needed element in diabetics.

4. Salt is vital for the generation of hydroelectric energy in cells in the body. It is used for local power generation at the sites of energy need by the cells.

5. Salt is vital to the nerve cells' communication and information processing all the time that the brain cells work, from the moment of conception to death.

6. Salt is vital for absorption of food particles through the intestinal tract.

7. Salt is vital for the clearance of the lungs of mucus plugs and sticky phlegm, particularly in asthma and cystic fibrosis.

8. Salt is vital for clearing up catarrh and congestion of the sinuses.

9. Salt is a strong natural antihistamine.

10. Salt is essential for the prevention of muscle cramps.

11. Salt is vital to prevent excess saliva production to the point that it flows out of the mouth during sleep. Needing to constantly mop up excess saliva indicates salt shortage.

12. Salt is absolutely vital to making the structure of bones firm. Osteoporosis, in a major way, is a result of salt and water shortage in the body.

13. Salt is vital for sleep regulation. It is a natural hypnotic.

14. Salt is a vitally needed element in the treatment of diabetics.

15. Salt on the tongue will stop persistent dry coughs.

16. Salt is vital for the prevention of gout and gouty arthritis.

17. Salt is vital for maintaining sexuality and libido.

18. Salt is vital for preventing varicose veins and spider veins on the legs and thighs.

19. Salt is vital to the communication and information processing nerve cells the entire time that the brain cells work - from the moment of conception to death.

20. Salt is vital for reducing a double chin. When the body is short of salt, it means the body really is short of water. The salivary glands sense the salt shortage and are obliged to produce more saliva to lubricate the act of chewing and swallowing and also to supply the stomach with water that it needs for breaking down foods. Circulation to the salivary glands increases and the blood vessels become "leaky" in order to supply the glands with water to manufacture saliva. The "leakiness" spills beyond the area of the glands themselves, causing increased bulk under the skin of the chin, the cheeks and into the neck.

21. Sea salt contains about 80 mineral elements that the body needs. Some of these elements are needed in trace amounts. Unrefined sea salt is a better choice of salt than other types of salt on the market. Ordinary table salt that is bought in the super markets has been stripped of its companion elements and contains additive elements such as aluminum silicate to keep it powdery and porous. Aluminum is a very toxic element in our nervous system. It is implicated as one of the primary causes of Alzheimer's disease.

22. Twenty-seven percent of the body's salt is in the bones. Osteoporosis results when the body needs more salt and takes it from the body. Bones are twenty-two percent water. Is it not obvious what happens to the bones when we're deficient in salt or water or both.

* The information on salt intake is taken from Dr. Batmanghelidj's book, "Water: Rx for a Healthier Pain-Free Life".

I like this quote - its sums up the principles behind "The Secret""There isnothing morecreative in man thanto believe something intoexistence.Doyou knowwhat you want?Begin tobelieve it inas you believe nowthat you can smell roses.Believe it in.What would you seeif it were true?Goto the endand dwell in the end……as if it were true".Neville